Disclaimer: unfortunately, I own nothing of the BBC, Merlin, it's characters or it's story lines.
Hello all. Sorry about the wait. Please enjoy and review.
Arthur was still awake the next morning when Merlin began to stir. "Did you sleep at all?" the brunette asked concern in his voice and worry painted on his face.
Arthur shrugged knowing that lying to the warlock would just upset him more. It had been three weeks since Arthur's stay in the dungeons and he was finally well enough to resume all of his normal activities including training. Merlin had been spending his days with kilgharrah and his evenings wrapped around the prince. Arthur had tried to sleep through the night but he was constantly plagued by nightmares of his time in the castle cells, the serious lack of sleep was beginning to get to him and he could feel himself loosing the strength that he'd built up in the last couple of weeks of recovery.
Merlin pulled himself out of bed and Arthur knew that he was only getting up so soon so that Arthur wouldn't see the tears pooling in his eyes. Arthur sighed; the fatigue had made his already caustic temper very short. He didn't want the warlock upset, he knew that the next couple of weeks would be hard on them and he didn't want Merlin worrying about him anymore than necessary.
Merlin walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out some of the prince's clothes before walking behind the changing screen to put them on. He wanted to help the prince; he knew terrible thing must have happened to him in the cells and he just wished that the prince would open up and let him help.
"Come on Merlin, don't be like this." Arthur said rolling, rather lazily out of the four poster bed.
"Be like what Arthur?" he retorted, finally loosing his temper with the prince. "Be like what?"
"Merlin-" Arthur began to reason but Merlin cut him off.
"What am I doing wrong Arthur? Am I being too understanding? Too patient?" Merlin shouted whirling out from behind the changing screen dressed only in his breeches. "You have to help me understand Arthur, because I am trying my hardest to help you and you are not letting me in." he finished, chest heaving from the exertion of shouting at the blonde.
"I don't need your help." Arthur spat, his anger equal to that of the warlock. Merlin recoiled slightly before responding, the words sticking in his dry mouth.
"Then why am I here?" Merlin asked and the prince didn't answer. A million justifications ran through his head; because I love you… because I do need you, I'm just too scared to open up… I don't know what I would do without you. But nothing came out.
Merlin nodded, tears finally spilling onto his cheeks as he pulled on the prince's shirt and left the room without looking back.
Arthur left his room later that day and walked towards the caves where the dragon resided. He and Leon had decided earlier that week that the best place to meet to discuss the uprising would be the dragon cave. Kilgharrah was happy to supply his home for the meetings as he wanted to be part of the rebellion; Uther had imprisoned him and he wanted revenge.
Leon had been trusted to gather some of the knights most loyal to Arthur and the prince wasn't sure how many would be turning up. He suspected about three or four, possibly five but no more than that. Arthur knew that their limited numbers would hinder make assuming control a lot harder so their plan had to be spectacular.
"Kilgharrah." He shouted in to the cavern as he entered to gain the dragons attention. Soon after he called he heard the sound of giant wings flapping as the great dragon flew ever closer.
"Are you the first here young prince?" the dragon asked as he settled on the rock and stretched out his wings before folding them against his back.
"Yes." The prince said as he sat down, legs dangling over the side of the cliff.
"You and the young warlock fought this morning, am I correct?" the dragon asked.
"Yes." Arthur answered; he had given up wondering how the dragon knew so much about them a while ago and resigned himself to the fact that Kilgharrah just knew everything.
"Did you apologise?"
The prince scoffed. "Me apologise? It wasn't my fault. Merlin flipped out on me, he wanted me to talk to him and I didn't want to, so now I'm the big bad wolf." Arthur exploded, unsure as to why the dragon was blaming him.
"Arthur, Merlin lived his entire life unloved until he found you and when he did he shared everything with you; every dark night, every event, every abuse and torment. He had always been worried that your affection for him was just a game, a final torment and then you would leave him to the dogs. When you refuse to open up to him he feels like you don't trust him and that scares him because he trusted you with every part of him; he is worried that you don't love him as he loves you."
Arthur's mouth was open in the shape of an o as he contemplated what the dragon said; how had he missed all that?
"I guess I have some apologising to do then?" he asked the dragon and the great beast threw his head back and laughed, a fierce noise that rocked the entire cave before he lowered his head and nodded to the cave entrance.
He blonde turned and paled at the sight of the warlock, before blushing a brilliant red that made the brunette giggle. "Hello." The blonde squeaked out before turning back to the dragon and gesturing that he was going to kill the beast. "You're dead." He lipped at the overgrown lizard.
Merlin walked over and lowered himself down next to the prince. "Hello." He said as he lent onto the blonde's shoulder. Arthur sighed in contentment and wrapped his arm around the brunette's back and in those very simple gestures, all was forgiven.
"I love you so much." Arthur whispered into the brunette's ear. "More than I have ever loved anything." He continued kissing the boy's cheek. "I love you, my Merlin." He finished, kissing the boy on the lips. Merlin blushed and snuggled into the blonde's chest.
"I love you too, Arthur Pendragon."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, with an unspoken promise to talk later as they waited for everyone else to arrive. Leon was the first; he had walked in and the two boys had jumped apart quicker than the knight had ever seen anyone move before. Leon had laughed and muttered a small "Don't mind me." Before he settled against the wall.
The two boys quickly got over their embarrassment and started to discuss numbers with Leon, however the knight was being quite cryptic.
"How many then?" Arthur asked.
"I think you'll be quite surprised." Leon answered, avoiding the question.
"Yes, but how many people?" Arthur insisted.
"Just wait and see." He retorted before smiling to himself in a I-know-something-you-don't kind of way.
It turns out that they didn't have to wait long, fifteen minutes later the prince heard footsteps and stood up, Merlin on his right side and Leon on his left. The prince watched slack jawed as about twenty or twenty five people pilled into the room. Merlin shuffled slightly closer to his prince and sighed when the blonde wrapped his arm around his middle pulling him closer; the amount of people was making the brunette quite uncomfortable and he was suddenly very glad that the blonde was there. Arthur spent a few minutes getting over his shock, but after that he began talking to Leon in hushed urgent whispers.
"Can they all fight?"
"Most of them, some can't but they were insistent sire."
"You've out done yourself brother, thank you." The blonde said as he patted his brother on the back. Leon smiled and moved his head slightly, implying a bow.
"RIGHT," Arthur called, trying to get the group to pay attention. "I need everyone that can fight against that wall and everyone who cannot against that wall." Arthur explained. He waited for people to move but when no one did he moved his arm in a go ahead motion.
"How many knights?" he asked Leon as he waited for people to join their respected groups.
"Percival, Gwain, Elyan and Lancelot, there are a few young knights that fell victim to one of Uther's more vicious attacks earlier in the week." Leon said gesturing to a group of boys that looked no older than him. "They came from Cenred's kingdom to escape his torture and came here, poor boys." Leon muttered as he shook his head in disgust.
"Names?" Arthur asked, apparently the prince was trying to perfect the art of one syllable questions.
"Anthony, Marcus, Thomas and Tristan, they are brothers." He said to the prince. "Cenred executed their mother and farther."
Three hours later Merlin was leaning heavily on Arthur as they limped back to their chambers.
"It wasn't my fault." The warlock insisted, wincing as his put his weight on his foot.
"Of course not." Arthur agreed half-heartedly, laughing as he recalled what had happened. Merlin had the entire rebellion in awe as he showed off some of the spell that he had learnt from the spell book Gaius had gifted him. He was showing off some of his most amazing spells, some defensive and some offensive; fire balls and invisible shields and spells that caused the warlock to turn invisible. Then he tripped, face first over his own feet.
"It wasn't." he replied huffing at the sarcastic undertone to the prince's voice. Arthur laughed and hoisted the warlock up into his arms and carried him the rest of the way.
When they finally reached their chambers the blonde laid Merlin onto the bed before doing the same, pulling the warlock onto his chest.
"I love you Merlin." Arthur whispered ardently, wanting the warlock to hear the honest truth in his voice.
"And I love you, my prince." Merlin said, kissing him lightly on the jaw. "Even if you are an insufferable prat." He finished and the prince laughed, a deep belly laugh that soon caused the warlock to join in. They laughed together until they had tears in their eyes and their throats hurt, but eventually they fell asleep, grins on their faces.
Sorry it took so long but please review, it makes my day : )